The Rhodesia Herald, 6 May 1965

INTEREST in beekeeping in Rhodesia continues to mount. It has now reached such a pitch that one of the main problems is how best to restrain beekeepers and newcomers to the industry from developing their activities at a rate out of proportion to their experience, states the director of conservation and extension, Mr JJ Duvenage.

This interest is due almost entirely to the hard work and enthusiasm of the department’s apiculturist, Miss P Papadopoulo.

Of the 800 and more bee houses now in existence in this country, approximately 500 were constructed during the 1963-64 departmental year, including 15 by one enthusiast at Norton who, with 350 hives is set to become an important commercial producer of honey and beeswax.

It is estimated that there are now about 15 000 hived colonies in Rhodesia.

Five beekeepers’ associations with a total membership of about 400, and a central co-ordinating body known as the Rhodesian Beekeepers’ Council, have been formed.

To meet the demand for instruction, bee-keeping courses lasting eight days, each divided into four two-day sessions, have been instituted for conservation and extension staff. Revision courses each of one day, are held every few months by the apiculturist for the benefit of officers who have completed the preliminary course.

Thirty-seven officers have completed a course in the basic principles of bee-keeping by the end of March this year.

Training courses have also been instituted for bee-keepers and two groups of eight each have so far been given practical instruction.

The demand for this instruction is shown by the fact that 62 applications were received for the six places which were made available originally.

LESSONS FOR TODAY

Below are some few life-changing benefits of bee-keeping that cannot be ignored:

Financial benefits: Bees have numerous products that are saleable. Honey, which the bees are most known for, is actually one of the products in high demand both locally and internationally. You can also sell wax and propolis. Bee venom, used medically, is another product that is growing in popularity.

Health benefits: According to experts, when harvested at the right time, it can act as an antibiotic. The moisture level is so low that you would not need to worry about growing a bacterial culture in the honey jar.

Environmental benefits: The honey bee is just one species of insect that we rely on to feed us. They are great agents of pollination.

Beekeeping has great potential for  employment creation along the various supply chains and earn the country the much needed foreign currency.

There is scope for expanding the current beekeeping industry, and provide bee-keepers with state of-the-art training in line with modern trends.

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